


Serenade

by Epic_Glitter



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Comic, Complete, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Healing, Personal Growth, Post-Save Chloe Price Ending, Romance, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 19:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18531745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epic_Glitter/pseuds/Epic_Glitter
Summary: After events of Dust/LiS Comic #4, Max and Chloe reconnect on the drive back to Seattle. While Max copes with returning to their shared reality, Chloe plans a surprise to show her true feelings. Set in main, post-Bae timeline, Oregon/Washington, Oct 2014.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Serenade Spotify playlist (recommended!, 1-2 songs per chapter): https://spoti.fi/2IvA2Do
> 
> This fic is based on the theory that throughout Dust, POV Max was an “altMax” who entered the main timeline, displacing “Main Max” (protag from the game). At end of #4, altMax left this timeline, MainMax returned (implied). Serenade begins several hours later. Theory: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GO7_WhVY7RaOkE8vARjQ_5mUKPIlVjUfuq2EiLHHoc4/edit
> 
> UPDATE: #5 (Waves #1) is out (yay!). Theory was wrong, so keep in mind this is a divergence/AU! :D

**Song:** Coyote Grace – [Songs  
](https://youtu.be/WAqvkVpbOu4)****

**Bluebird’s Pancake House  
** **Seaside, Oregon, USA  
** **Saturday, October 11 th, 2014**

* * *

“Maybe this little strawberry,” Chloe said, her lips curving into a mischievous grin as she placed the small fruit in position on her spoon, “doesn’t belong in our timeline?”

“ _Chloe!_ ” Max said, shaking her head, “you can’t-”

“Now,” the blue-haired punk replied with a teasing lilt in her voice, “if you block my shot, the strawberry can stay. But if you don’t act fast-”

_Whfff!_

She launched the bright red projectile past Max’s head, where it crash-landed onto the table in the empty booth behind her with a muted _splat_.

Apparently, the freckled hipster’s hand reached up a beat too late.

With a groan and a burst of reluctant laughter, Max scanned the dining area, grateful that no one else seemed to notice their antics. Lowering her hand, she said in a hushed tone, “I can’t _believe_ you did that! I swear, I can’t take you _anywhere_...”

“It’s better off now,” Chloe shrugged, casually stretching her arms across the back of the booth, “It’s got a new home.”

“You think this is a joke?” Max sighed, her voice developing a bitter edge as she added, “Ha, ha. One minute I’m in Seattle with my best friend, next minute I’m _nowhere._ Hilarious!”

_After all I went through to get back to you, I hoped this would be… I don’t know._

_Easier?_

_I thought we would just_ click…

“Max...” Chloe paused, removing her arms from the seat back and leaning forward, offering a sheepish, apologetic smile as their blue eyes met, “Hey, I’m sorry. I… it’s what I do. What I, um, _used to_ do. You know: dad’s dead, let’s laugh it off with some sick wordplay about ghosts or worm food or country music? Shit like that?”

“It’s not funny,” Max said flatly, looking down at their empty, syrup-smothered plates.

“I’m sorry, really,” the punk said, her voice growing softer and her smile waning, “Won’t happen again. I know you probably went through some next-level time-twisting fuckery. I wasn’t thinking…”

 _Wowser…_ _an_ _actual_ apology _? Just like that?_

… _am I sure this is my timeline, ‘my’ Chloe?_

Max instinctively glanced at her watch, and Chloe’s eyes drifted down to her own identical timepiece. The Bluebird’s closing time was rapidly approaching,

Breaking the tense, awkward silence, Max replied in a forgiving tone, “Maybe the jokes could wait ‘til after we, I dunno, actually _talk_ about it?”

“Sure thing. Um, is that, uh,” Chloe reached behind her head, scratching at her scalp beneath her blue beanie, “something you want to do… _now_?”

“ _On the Road_ ,” Max replied, staring expectantly at a puzzled Chloe before a thin laugh escaped her lips. “Kerouac? No?”

“Nerd,” Chloe said with a smirk.

“Nerds are hot.”

“ _Yeah_ , they are!”

The hint of playfulness and desire in the bluenette’s eyes sent a rush of warmth through Max's cheeks as they both turned away.

_You and that other Max… did you…?_

She shook off the thought, finishing her mug of coffee and gathering up her messenger bag as she stood up.

“Did you see any restrooms?”

“Back corner,” Chloe replied, lifting her chin towards the marked door, “Don’t, y’know, fall in-”

Catching herself, she smacked her palm against her forehead and stammered, “I mean, ugh. Sorry, sorry. I’m just a record full of sour notes right now… Jokes, man, they’re _part of me_. But I’ll try! I swear I’ll-”

 _OK, this probably_ is _the right timeline!_

 _But y_ _ou_ _listened, you’re_ trying _… and_ _you’re so damn_ _cute when you’re flustered…_

“It’s fine. Maybe just no jokes about reality, or time, or… I dunno, vanishing besties?”

“You got it, Max,” Chloe replied, offering a two-finger salute.

“Thanks.”

Max hurried across the room from their booth to the sole, single-stall restroom. The place was empty aside from the remaining workers, who were pointedly cleaning the counter and flipping chairs up onto tables as Max entered the bathroom.

When she locked the door behind her, it sunk in that she finally had a moment to herself for the first time since the memorial.

Standing at the sink and turning on the tap, Max splashed cold water on her face, taking in the _shhhh-chhhh_ sound of the streaming faucet.

The chill against her skin felt so good, she kept her hands under the frigid stream for several blissful moments.

Even chattering teeth and shivering arms couldn’t diminish the wave of relief that swept over her.

_I still can’t believe it worked!_

_I’m back, really back!_ _I made it back to her._

 _This is_ my _body,_ my _timeline_ , my _life,_ my _best friend_ _._ _Finally!_

She marveled at her hands as she dried them off, listening to the _whoosh_ of the dryer and watching the powerful gusts of warm air blow weird, flowing ripples in her skin. It felt so strange and exhilarating to be part of an actual, physical world again…

She wasn’t going to dwell on it, though – out in the dining area, her resilient, destiny-defying, miraculously _real_ and undeniably attractive BFF sat waiting for her.

 _I just hope this lasts. If I get pulled back into that weird glowy-white crossroads place...ugh, don’t even want to_ think _about it._

Approaching the booth, she noticed Chloe alternately jotting words down on a receipt with a fine-tipped black Sharpie and sending texts. When the punk saw her coming, she quickly capped the Sharpie and shoved all three items into her pocket.

“You good to keep driving?” Max asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Hella good,” she replied with a cocksure nod, jumping up from her seat and quickly walking to the next table over as Max moved towards the exit.

“C’mere, you!” Chloe said to the strawberry, scooping it up with a napkin and tossing it in the trash bin on the way out the door.

_Yeah, that’s "my" Chloe._


	2. Chapter 2

**Song:** Namoli Brennet – [Stars](https://youtu.be/yV4WNhdta1k)

 **Route 101 / Pacific Coast Scenic Byway  
** **North Coast, Oregon, USA  
** **Saturday,** **October** **11 th** **2014**

* * *

Quiet miles passed beneath the rusty old truck’s tires as the sky faded into starry violet twilight. While its driver and passenger both watched the magnificent scenery through the windshield, distant pairs of red tail lights led them forward along the coastal byway.

Chloe placed her hand over the radio dial and looked to Max, turning it on when she nodded. After searching through noisy FM static, she settled on a station and-

Wait, was she… was Chloe singing along?

Though Max tried not to let her notice, she was moved by the way her best friend’s soulful voice filled each note with longing and sorrow, tinged with faint glimmers of hope:

“Maybe this world is just thinner than it seems  
Maybe we’re all partners in the same lucid dream  
Yeah maybe we’re vapors, maybe we’re just steam

“Maybe we’re creatures of habit and malice  
That pale in the light of aurora borealis  
What if we, what if we are  
What if we, what if we are  
Only stars

“Only stars  
In the dark  
Just a spark”

_You have such a beautiful voice – how did it take so long for me to hear you sing like this?_

Chloe wasn't shy about belting along with the shouty vocals of Firewalk, Pisshead, Worriers, or the one edgier song on The High Seas’ setlist.

Max still felt honored to finally hear her pour her heart into a mellow, contemplative melody. Yet the lyrics and Chloe’s melancholy inflection left her wondering what was on her mind, and what exactly happened while Max was gone.

As the song ended, the radio crackled, and Chloe turned it back off.

“Th-that was amazing, Chloe.”

“Amazingly moody? Guess when I see the stars out I still- I mean. Um, thanks.”

Max stiffly nodded, making her best attempt at an encouraging smile.

She didn’t know what else to say.

They fell back into silence.

Max shifted in her seat as a sense of unease crept over her entire body. Not long ago, her photographer’s eye would have focused in on the misty forested valleys to the east and the boundless, moonlit ocean to the west.

Inside the vehicle, though, she just wanted something to hold on to.

Some _one_ to hold on to.

The stirring song and picturesque landscape left her aching for some sort of guarantee that she wouldn't be pulled away from this world again.

 _Please let me stay… I_ _couldn’t_ _handle losing this, losing_ her _, again!_

Taking out her worries on the dashboard bobblehead, Max flicked Elvis in the nose.

“Guess some things never change,” Chloe said with a careful laugh.

“Hmm?”

“She- you- uhm, _she_ did that too, when it got quiet,” the punk replied, absently tapping a simple, steady beat against the steering wheel in 4/4 time. “Does every Max Caulfield have a problem with the King?”

“So she was like me?” Max said, turning to look at her, “You… you couldn’t tell?”

Chloe shook her head. “I don’t know… She was another _you._ Seems like the moment she got here, shit went off the rails.” Her brow furrowed, and with a pained expression, she tried to explain, “She was _you_ and she was hurting and reality was kinda breaking down around us. I didn’t stop to-”

“I’m sorry,” she replied softly, “I’m just trying to make sense of it all.”

“Me too, Max.”

The silence between them filled one long minute after the next. Chloe focused intently on the road ahead, switching her brights on with a guarded, inscrutable look in her eyes.

They were traveling along the same route they'd taken after the Storm. When the feeling of déjà vu grew unavoidable, Max mentally kicked herself for letting another year go by without telling Chloe how she felt.

What was she waiting for?

But the punk seemed miles away, her face barely moving aside from the occasional yawn. Max still didn’t know what she’d been through or how she’d react. Even if she wasn’t ready for _that_ conversation, she _needed_ to break through those oh-so-familiar walls somehow.

She had to start _somewhere_.

 _Ev_ _e_ _n_ _as_ _kids,_ _I could_ _always_ _confide in you_ _. And you were brave enough to let me hear your voice._

_Maybe if I start… if I tell you what happened to me, will you trust me again?_

_Hard to even think about this stuff, but, here goes…_

“When it all started,” Max began hesitantly, “when I opened that memorial invitation and got pushed out of _our_ reality… the first thing I noticed was that you weren’t with me. I knew something was wrong, because: where’s Chloe?”

The tension drained from her best friend’s face as she subtly nodded.

“I woke up in bizarro-world, floating in a sea of white, seeing different versions of my life…”

Chloe smirked at “bizarro,” but her tone was serious and thoughtful as she said, “Yeah, the temporal crossroads thing? She called it the ‘Transect.’ That’s how she got here, I guess?”

“I think she had powers that I don’t? At first, I was just stuck. I tried _so hard_ to come back to you… but I had no idea what I was doing!

“After several rounds of _epic_ _fail_ , I pushed my way into some other Max’s timeline for a few minutes…it was kind of like photo-jumping, but with some weird _force_ constantly pulling at me. Soon I landed back in the… what did you call it? The Transect. Sometimes it hurt worse than my Rewind, but I kept trying. I wasn’t getting anywhere until… well, until _she_ left.”

When she glanced over, Chloe’s stunning blue eyes were filled with deep, aching compassion. Her expression reminded Max of the way she’d looked at her That Week, at the pool, during the Storm…

“That sounds scary as all hell,” the punk replied, guiding the truck into a parking lot as she continued, “I’m so sorry you went through that. After last year… I mean, _damn._ You’ve been through so fucking much… If I knew, I would’ve-”

“No, Chloe, please- I don’t want you to feel-”

“It’s OK. I’m just hella glad you’re back, Maximus.”

As Chloe parked the truck, their eyes met again, and she immediately wrapped Max in a tight, long-awaited hug.

 _This_ was exactly what she needed. Her best friend was _right_ _here_ , and she felt a tiny spark of hope that they wouldn’t be torn apart again. She leaned into Chloe’s embrace, holding her close as their eyes grew misty.

“Thanks,” Max whispered as they eventually pulled away.

“Goop,” Chloe replied with a crooked grin.

She _really_ wanted to say it, right there and then.

She was _this_ close.

“Hey, _you_ started it!” the freckled hipster said with an exaggerated eyeroll and a halfhearted laugh as she deftly changed the subject, “By the way, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh, the suspense!” Chloe said, “Well, what is it?”

“Back at the pancake place? What were you writing on our receipt, when I came back from the bathroom?”

“Just a little ‘note to self,'" she said with a sly wink and an enigmatic smile, opening the driver's side door, "I’ll tell ya all about it when the time’s right!”

Before Max could respond, the punk hopped out, leaving her quietly cursing herself for her cowardice. Moments later, Chloe opened the passenger side door, offering a hand to help her down.

 _Wonder if that other Max… if she_ _had the guts_ _to tell you…?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Song:** Riley Hawke – [Fragile Reality](https://youtu.be/k7aUYlTEROw)

 **Buccaneer’s Ballad Inn & Suites  
** **Sunset Beach, Oregon, USA  
** **Saturday,** **October** **11 **th** , **2014****

* * *

As they carried their bags up to the second-story motel room, Chloe seemed closely attuned to her best friend’s fear of disappearing from their shared reality. She'd casually slid her arm around Max’s shoulders when they crossed the parking lot, held her hand in the lobby, and answered “two adults, one room” to the desk clerk’s loaded question.

The clerk’s disapproving sneer didn’t faze her, though the withering glare Chloe shot back at him brought a small, proud smile to Max’s face.

After they’d settled in, the punk stayed within view of the window when she stepped back outside for a smoke. Like a blue-haired, beanie-clad beacon, she guided Max’s thoughts back to calmer, safer shores each time she began to worry about the Transect, uninvited Maxes, or getting pulled away again.

 _Do you even realize how many times_ you _saved_ me _?_

 _Y_ _ou always said you had my back,_ _and_ _today… you totally stepped up._

 _Haven’t snapped at me even_ once _since I came back, either…_

As she waited, Max sat on the edge of the bed closest to the window, exchanging texts with Tammi. The band had decided to keep costs down by skipping the motel, instead continuing a red-eye drive all the way back to Seattle. Pixie was at the wheel, while amusing photos confirmed Dex and Dwight were sound asleep in the back seat.

Max urged them to drive safe, and Tammi reminded her about practice tomorrow before wishing her a good night.

Placing her phone on the nightstand and plugging it into the outlet, she hesitated as her eyes fell on a familiar, crumpled receipt.

_Why were you being so secretive…?_

Outside, Chloe grinned as she finished sending a text and put out her cigarette. Max inched away from the nightstand and turned towards the door as she heard Chloe cussing under her breath, apparently botching the first few attempts to swipe her keycard.

On her seventh try, she proudly walked in and took a bow.

“Bravo, bravo,” Max said with a chuckle, offering a slow clap, “Finest rogue skills I’ve seen in _ages!_ ”

“ _You_ will always hold the title, ninja-keymaster,” Chloe replied, her smile fading as she pondered her own words and sat down next to Max on the bed. “So, how you holdin’ out?”

“It’s weird,” she replied, scooting closer, “I mean, it’s been _so good_ to see you again, and to be back in… ugh, even saying it is, like, _what_? Back in my body. It’s such a huge relief…”

“But?”

“ _What_ did you call me?”

Chloe laughed, bumping her shoulder lightly against the freckled hipster’s before replying, “Hey, if you want jokes you know I got ‘em. But if you want to talk about the unreal shit we each went through-”

“That’s the thing,” Max cut in with a sigh, “I don’t know what you went through. And you’re… you’re still _you_ , but you seem different? I haven’t seen you get pissed – like, seriously pissed – since I came back and I just-” _want to declare my undying love already why am I still so chickenshit_ “-guess I’m trying to adjust?”

“So, you want to know where Angry Chloe went?”

“Kinda, yeah… don’t get me wrong! It’s _awesome_ to see you, um, like this. But we usually share so much and I just feel like… like I missed out on something.”

“Let’s get comfortable,” Chloe said, kicking off her boots, “and I’ll talk.”

Yawning as they stood up, both women dug through their respective luggage for clothes: blue boy shorts and white anatomical heart T-shirt for Chloe, gray pajama bottoms and High Seas logo T-shirt for Max. They each retrieved their water bottles along with the clothes, taking a few sips before placing them on the nightstand.

As Max lowered the blinds and closed the curtain, her best friend resumed speaking.

“After those hella rough months last year, I thought I was okay.” Her voice rose as she pulled the T-shirt over her head and tossed her jeans vaguely near her luggage. “I was getting paid to draw shit, and your parents hooked me up with that internship. Didn’t feel _good_ , didn’t look forward to anything, but we were ‘getting by.’ I’d just steer clear of any mopey-ass thoughts about Arcadia Bay, or… or anyone I’ve ever lost… And I’d be f-fine.”

“Chloe, I- I didn’t know…”

Max could see the ceiling light reflect off Chloe’s watery eyes as her voice started to falter. She lightly touched her best friend’s shoulder before moving to the bed, piling up the pillows against the headboard.

“ _Please_ , don’t blame yourself. I _hid_ it all, and that's not on you,” Chloe said, climbing onto the bed and leaning back against the heap of pillows, “But, yeah, spoilers: ignoring my past didn’t help. I was always ticked off and flyin' solo, couldn’t deal with basic human interaction… until I returned to the Bay with Pretendo-Max. We- I don’t even know how to explain it. We saw - _lived through_ \- some stuff that rocked my fucking world. In a good way.”

Turning off the ceiling light, Max followed the soft glow of the lamp back to Chloe and sat next to her, inching herself closer as the mound of pillows supported them both.

“What happened?” she softly asked, leaning her head against Chloe’s shoulder.

“Other-You could, like… she could straddle two timelines at once.”

A _pffff_ sound escaped Max’s lips, followed by a fit of giggling, at the word “straddle.”

“OK, _now_ who’s laughing it up over unraveling the fabric of space-time, or whatever?”

Shaking her head, Chloe playfully swung a pillow at her chest, skillfully dodging the return blow.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Caulfield. Still _predictable_ as all he-”

She was cut off by a pillow to the face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Song:** Koethe – [Shiver](https://youtu.be/IcJP7V_3Fdc)

 **Buccaneer’s Ballad Inn & Suites  
** **Sunset Beach, Oregon, USA  
** **Saturday,** **October** **11 th, **2014****

* * *

****

****

The pillow fight ended within minutes, but it stirred fond memories and filled Max and Chloe with pure, giddy elation. As they rebuilt the cushiony pile, Max felt unburdened for the first time since returning from the Transect.

After catching their breath and drinking from their water bottles, the relieved hipster urged her best friend to tell her more about her return trip to Arcadia Bay.

“So. Miss Different-Max – who probably can’t hold her own in tactical pillow combat the way you just did, let’s be honest – she was here in _this_ timeline, but also in _another_ timeline, all at once,” the punk said between sips of water, reclining on the bed, “Sometimes she could pass messages between the two-”

“A world-hopping postwoman? Time-warping telephone operator? Inter-dimensional DM courier?”

“Pretty much. Dork,” Chloe said, her tone growing solemn as she capped the bottle and set it back on the nightstand, “At my old house, she… through her, I told my mom that I- that I love her. I couldn’t see Joyce, and she couldn’t see me, but… she knew.”

“I’m so glad you got to tell her,” Max replied, placing a hand on her shoulder and sliding over to sit by her side.

“Me, too,” she replied with a weak but genuine smile, “After that, I stayed in the house, just saying goodbye. To her, to dad, even to Bongo.

“We both know words like ‘closure’ can be straight-up bullshit- and I still get my rage on sometimes – but that day I felt _something,”_ she paused, absently twisting the ring she wore around her right ring finger and adding, “For once, thinking of them reminded me of summer cookouts, bear hugs, mom’s drawl, and those goddamn delicious bacon omlettes… instead of just making me miss my parents more.”

“Oh, Chloe… it’s incredible to hear you say that! I just wish-”

_No! The last thing you need is more drama from me!_

_Why am I even feeling… whatever this is?_

She tried to keep her expression neutral and bury the inexplicable emptiness that filled her when Chloe described the profound, life-altering experience she’d had with some other Max.

“…You wish you’d been there with me, instead of her? Yeah, me too,” the punk said with a knowing smile and a just-barely-teasing tone. “You have the _worst_ poker face in the entire multiverse, you know.”

“I’m sorry… I really _am_ happy for you, Chloe. It’s just…” She lowered her head, staring down at her outstretched legs and the nautically-themed comforter they were both sitting on.

Chloe slid her hand into Max’s, intertwining their fingers and giving her palm an encouraging squeeze.

 _I’m here, you’re here,_ we’re _here. Together._

 _We_ _share_ _so many_ _other memories, right?_

_And your hand is so warm…_

She felt heat rising through her cheeks as she returned the gesture, gripping her best friend’s hand and lifting her gaze. Bathed in the soft glow of the lamplight, Chloe’s full lips were turned up at the corners and her shining blue eyes were focused solely on Max.

“...it’s just, when I was stuck in the Transect,” she swallowed hard, pushing aside all-too-recent memories as she went on, “I thought I’d never see you… thought that after all we’ve been through together, I still abandoned you, still _failed_ you. Again.”

She tried to withdraw her hand, but Chloe’s grasp was firm – she wouldn’t let go. Worry lines appeared across the bluenette’s forehead as she opened her mouth to speak, but Max held up her free hand, shaking her head.

Her eyes stung as she blinked back the threat of tears, her lower lip quivering as she explained, “I c-couldn’t let that happen… I saw other versions of our lives – worlds where you moved to L.A. with Rachel, or the Storm never came, or some other Max let you- let you d-die,” a shudder ran through her body at the thought. “But none of that was _our_ life, _our_ reality. I kept searching, shoving _other_ Maxes out of _their_ realities… because I had to see you again. N-not just any Chloe- I had to see _you._

“I’m more pissed at myself than Intruder-Max,” she said, looking away towards the door as two hot, stinging rivulets trickled down her cheeks, “I know it d-doesn’t make sense… but _I_ should’ve been there for you. It m-must have been so hard, facing the Bay, everything with Joyce... I let you down.”

“Hey, hippie?” Chloe replied in a quiet yet insistent tone, “You didn’t deserve any of that bodysnatching bullshit. You hear me? And you didn’t do a _single_ _damn_ _thing_ to let me down! Who knows, maybe when you busted into one of those other universes, that set off some kinda chain reaction that let me have a moment with mom?”

In one fluid motion, the punk withdrew her hand and wrapped the same arm around Max’s shoulder. The sniffling hipster nuzzled her head against the crook of her best friend’s tattooed arm.

“It _did_ hurt to go back there,” Chloe said with a weary sigh, “especially with all the Prescott-branded cover-up crap.”

Pausing to run her free hand through her hair, she added, “Then, back at the old house, getting so close to mom without talking to her, without hugging her…

“ _Hella_ painful,” she added, grabbing a skull-and-crossbones handkerchief from the nightstand and handing it to Max, “But, real talk? It was also _exactly_ what I needed. Through Messenger-Max, mom said she’ll always love me… I got say goodbye to her. And Rachel, too. Kind of…”

_I still feel awful about Joyce, but at least you finally-_

_Wait, what? You saw Rachel?_

_...how? That makes zero sense. I never even met her…_

Despite resting comfortably against Chloe’s side, the sense of emptiness crept back into her for a moment. This time, the aching absence within her was tinged with a year-old jealousy that made her cascading tears burn more painfully as she wiped her cheeks.

_No way -_

_This isn’t about me – you’re_ actually _opening up for once._

_I just need to listen._

“...you sure you want to hear this?” the punk softly asked, “We could take a break or-”

“No, p-please…” - _the one thing I can actually do is listen. It’s fine, I can listen and cry at the same time-_ “This is kinda the point, right? We can’t just hide the painful memories… And I don’t want you to hold all of this alone.”

“Yeah, yeah… doesn’t make it any easier to see you hurting,” Chloe replied, taking a deep breath, “Well, Alterna-Max pulled me into other realities -flickers, she called them- but only for a few minutes. She couldn’t control it. Guess I learned what That Week was like for you: the confusing time shenanigans, nosebleeds, sudden pain… But worst of all?” Pausing to place her free hand over her heart dramatically, she concluded, “The goddamn _feels_ , man. I don’t know how the hell you made it through-”

“You,” Max replied as her tears finally stopped falling. Wrapping both arms around her best friend in a slightly uncomfortable side hug, she added, “ _You’re_ how I figured out my powers and stayed focused in the chaos. And I was _still_ a mess.”

“Yeah, you were,” Chloe said with a smirk, squeezing her shoulder.

After returning the handkerchief to the nightstand, Max rested her head on Chloe’s chest with a relieved smile as they held each other.

The steady rhythm of the punk’s heart, the low hum of the heating system, and the sound of passing cars joined together to form a deeply reassuring consonance. Maybe no one could promise her she’d stay in her own timeline. But in this moment, enveloped by ambient sound, faint lighting, and soft touch, she finally felt _safe_.

To be with Chloe, where she always belonged – that was enough.

_But I still haven’t told you…_

_Would that even be fair?_

_After everything you’ve lost… after Rachel…_

“I p-promise I won’t get weird about it, but,” Max said, sitting up and releasing her embrace to look at the punk’s face, “You saw Rachel? In those ‘flickers’?”

Chloe gave a simple, sad nod as she replied, “Yeah. We were at Blackwell… to her, it was just another day. That flicker was such a mindfuck _…_ it was over so fast, I was just stunned. I didn’t get to say _any_ of the shit I wanted to tell her.”

“That sounds… ugh. It's like time played some incredibly cruel joke."

As a dubious idea nudged its way into her mind, Max hesitantly added, “If you could change any of it… never go through that flicker, or- or change everything so she-”

“ _No_ ,” the punk replied with a resigned finality, “There are other worlds, where Rachel is alive and hopefully rockin’ out somewhere. Knowing that will help me sleep at night. Part of me will always miss her, and I’ll never forget her… but I’m done wishing for any other life, Max. _This_ is where I belong. With you.”

Hearing those last few words made Max’s heart leap as she continued listening with rapt attention.

“We’ve both been through some epic custom-tailored fuckshit, but those memories and scars and losses are _ours._ Can’t just ditch ‘em or, like, enter a cheat code. That’s why we synced our watches and agreed: no more Rewinds, right? No going back.”

“I’m with you… on all of that,” Max said, her eyes growing wide and an awestruck expression crossing her face at hearing her best friend’s new perspective, “No going back. I’m sorry I even thought about it. It’s just… I know how much you’ve missed her, and if there’s some way I could save you from that pain-”

“You already saved me, over and over. Not just That Week – you’ve done so much to help me cope. Even _after_ the Storm, I didn’t understand what you gave me… But there was a moment this morning, when I thought I might be saying goodbye to _all_ Maxes, forever. Bawled my fucking eyes out, let me tell you...”

She shifted her position, turning to face Max with a reflective expression and a wondrous, loving gleam in her eye.

“The whole thing made my selfish ass realize how grateful I am to be your faithful companion,” she paused, her voice unguarded and tremulous, “…and how I really feel about you.”

Chloe leaned over, planting a soft kiss on Max’s lips.

Though the enamored hipster didn’t use her powers, time slowed to a crawl as her best friend’s lips gently brushed her own, her hand drifting up to caress the bluenette’s cheek. A glorious symphony played in her mind, with Chloe’s voice carrying the melody, an instrumental “Pirate Power” mixtape track filling in guitar and keys, and both of their racing heartbeats rounding out the percussion section.

The years of unspoken desire, the sweet and intentional confession, the tingling in her forearms and the rush of warmth throughout her body – it was absolutely wonderful!

And real!

And completely overwhelming!

… _Wowser!_

As a shiver of desire and anticipation shook her small frame, a discordant note disrupted the euphonious chorus within her, sowing doubt at the worst possible moment:

 _But what about the other ‘me’? Did_ _you_ _and_ _her_ _…?_

A gasp escaped her lips as she pulled away. Chloe blinked and cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes as a wounded and confused expression crossed her face.

“Uh, what gives? I… I thought you-”

“Did you kiss her?” Max said, her inflection more accusatory than she’d intended.

“What? Who?” Chloe shot back.

“Me! Ugh- the _wrong_ me! Did you kiss her?”

Chloe scooted back on the bed, sitting cross-legged and facing Max as her own expression softened.

“Max, I- Look, I can explain!”

_Yes. That means fucking yes! I can’t believe she didn’t tell me!_

“Are you cer- Are you _serious_ right now?” Max shouted, grasping the top of her own head with both hands, “How could you? If you _even_ tell me to ‘calm down’-”

“ _Please_ hear me out?” Chloe said, her voice wavering desperately as she clasped both hands together in a pleading gesture, “It’s not what you think. Swear on my fucking life.”

The fall from euphoria to betrayal had been so jarring- inside, Max was reeling. She removed her shaking hands from her head and balled them into fists. Her jaw was tight, her breathing was fast and shallow, her heart pounded thunderously in her chest, and a litany of worst-case scenarios and scathing judgments stormed through her mind.

She realized she was getting dangerously close to a full-on panic attack.

Closing her eyes and struggling to slow down her breathing, she held up her hand, hoping the punk would just _wait a damn sec_ and give her space.

Several minutes later, when she opened her eyes, the emotional sting hadn’t faded much. Still, everything felt less dire, the tremors subsided, and her breathing had evened out.

“...I’m listening,” Max said, gesturing for Chloe to go on with her explanation as the punk cautiously handed her a water bottle.

“OK… thank you. So, Mimic-Max figured out she had to leave this timeline, and said she wasn’t sure what would happen. Maybe there’d be no Maxes left here,” Chloe went on, tears pooling in her already-reddened eyes and falling slowly down her cheeks, “and like, _fuck that_ , but she said it could happen. I can’t let _any_ Max keep getting hurt, not if I can stop it… so I tried to accept the possibility that… that I’d have to let go.”

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she continued, “ _Or_ , maybe you and me would both be here, but our memories would be all scrambled up. Maybe we wouldn’t even _remember_ each other. So we had to leave a mark.”

“...on the Prescott statue?” Max asked, her tone slowly shifting from vexation to understanding, “That’s why you marked it up with the Dark Room address, ‘Investigate the Prescotts!’ and ‘Keep Arcadia Bay Weird!’?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“You kissed her because-”

“I thought… I thought if I kissed _her_ , it would help _you_ and _me_ remember each other. And, um, how we feel. I… I was finally ready to tell you…”

As Chloe waited with a concerned, vulnerable look in her eyes, Max’s mind once again filled with the memory of Chloe singing that doleful tune earlier in the evening.

 _You_ _trust me…_ _you,_ _the punk who stopped trusting_ everyone _six years ago,_ _laid_ _your_ _self out there. Why wouldn’t I believe_ _you_ _? I w_ _ould’ve_ _do_ _ne_ anything _to get back to_ _you_ _, and it sounds like_ _you_ _w_ _ere_ _trying to do the same thing…_

 _Plus,_ _you_ _told me how_ _you_ _felt, while_ I _still keep putting it off._

_Now or never, Max…_

With a beckoning gesture, Max invited Chloe to join her as she slowly disassembled the pile of pillows, laid down, and pulled the covers over them both. By the time they settled in, they had dried their eyes and hugged out the remaining tension between them.

Soon, the two were lying face-to-face, close enough for Max to see the lamp’s dim incandescence reflected in her best friend’s eyes.

“I’ve had a crush on you since _at least_ junior high,” Max said as Chloe simply nodded and affectionately pushed strands of brown hair out of her face, “It’s _more_ than that, now, and I was too afraid to tell you… but after…”

_Ugh… say it!!!_

Looking directly into those breathtaking blue eyes, Max drew upon the same determination that had led her to escape the Dark Room, leap through multiple realities, and will herself back from the Transect.

She’d do it all again, if she had to – for Chloe.

_For you._

“ _I_ - _love_ - _you_ - _Chloe-Price_ -and-you-are-my-home. No matter who or _what_ tries to tear us apart, I’ll fight like hell to stay with you. We have so many adventures left to plan, so many songs left to sing, and… and I want to know if… if we can try for a duet?”

The words tumbled out in a fast, messy cascade of syllables, but the awkwardness faded into memory just as quickly when she leaned in for a sweet, lingering kiss.

Her best friend – now more? - carefully held the back of her head with one hand as they both closed their eyes. At first, Max could feel Chloe’s lips trembling – or was she the one shaken by this simple, intimate connection?

For Max, their second non-dare kiss wasn’t as _musical_ as their first, but it was just as meaningful. She'd _finally_ told Chloe what she meant to say all those years ago.

“...yes,” Chloe tenderly stated when their lips parted, “Max Caulfield, you’re _amazing._ You remember what I said, that day on the cliff? ‘I’ll always be with you.’”

“‘Forever,’” she immediately replied.

“I hella meant it. Sometimes I suck at mushy stuff, but I promise, I’m working on that. I’ll prove it to you tomorrow… but we need at least a _few_ hours’ sleep first.”

After turning out the lamp, Max faced away from big-spoon Chloe, lying wrapped in her arms as they drifted off together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Song1 (alarm):** Worriers – [Best Case Scenario  
](https://youtu.be/BQtZK1EJAHU)**Song** **2 (radio):** José González – [Stay Alive](https://youtu.be/NucJk8TxyRg)

 **Harmony Donuts-2-Go  
** **Route 101, Oregon** **,** **USA  
** **Sunday, October 12 th, 2014**

* * *

“OW!” Max yelped as the scalding-hot coffee dripped onto her fingers, nearly dropping the to-go cup.

“You OK?” Chloe called out as the drive-thru worker handed her change, whistling a cheerful tune to himself throughout the transaction.

“Severe burns, no big deal,” she replied, eyeing the [Caution: HOT!] label on the lid with mild disdain.

“Well, you could get a cream for it… or just keep up yer bellyachin’,” the punk replied with an exaggerated shrug as she rolled up the window and pulled the truck away.

To Max’s utter shock, Chloe had set her alarm so early that the streetlights were on, the sky was dark, and the earliest hints of morning twilight appeared while they checked out. Up until the cacophony of punk music blared from the cell phone’s speakers, Max had never even heard the wake-up tune.

It did its job, though.

What’s the point of hitting [Snooze] after taking a jackhammer to the eardrums?

Chloe had filled their water bottles, smoked a cigarette, and wolfed down her breakfast before leaving the Harmony Donuts-2-Go parking lot. When a still-sleepy Max urged her to slow down, she cryptically replied that they had “places to be,” winking as she pulled back onto Route 101.

Due to the early hour and dearth of other cars, they enjoyed a serene drive across the Astoria bridge into Washington. It was too dark outside to truly appreciate their surroundings, but Max didn’t mind. Her coffee was decent enough quality for a fast-food chain. Her bagel was toasted just right, her donuts were perfectly glazed, and her best friend’s singing voice was even more melodious than she remembered from the previous evening.

_Best friends… is that still who we are? I mean, of course, but after last night, are we also- what, are we dating?_

_This wasn’t just some “subtle” dare…_

_Feels like forever I’ve **needed** to tell you how I feel…_

_Guess I didn’t even think about what comes next?_

Max noticed the scenery passing by more slowly as the truck turned onto a side road. Chloe kept singing along to the delicate, hopeful tune without a trace of apprehension in her voice.

_What are you up to…?_

Once they pulled into a small parking lot overlooking a valley, Chloe cut off the engine. A few bronze-tinted clouds hung low in the indigo sky, though the sun still hid below the horizon. Max’s jaw dropped at the spectacular view of the forest below, from the early autumn colors near their own elevation, to the swiftly flowing waterfall splashing down into a winding river.

_I know this place! We stopped here last year, when we left Arcadia Bay… Ugh, I barely remember most of that drive, I was so out of it…_

“Chloe, this place looks amazing, but,” she said, shooting the punk a tense and doubtful look, “why did you bring us back here? Do we really have time for a stop right now? My parents are expecting us for dinner, and the band-”

“Trust me on this one,” Chloe replied with a roguish grin, holding her phone up and shaking it with a hint of pride in her voice, “This overlook deserves a second chance, and we have _plenty_ of time. Tammi, Pixie, and the guys know not to expect us back ‘til practice time, and dinner’s moved to tomorrow since they’ve got the day off. ‘Columbus Day’ and all.”

Max blinked, muttering “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” out of habit as she sipped the last of her coffee and processed what she’d just heard.

“Chloe Elizabeth Price. Are you telling me you… _planned_ something? Ahead of time? With, like, maps and schedules and stuff?”

“You wound me!” the punk replied, placing both hands over her own chest and pouting melodramatically.

“Color me impressed,” Max said, chuckling at the bluenette’s theatrics as she tucked her empty cup into the truck’s trash bag.

“I was going for ‘flattered,’ but I’ll settle for impressed,” Chloe said, waggling her eyebrows, “Now, if you want to see something _almost_ as goddamn beautiful as you are, follow me!”

Max’s heart sang and her cheeks burned as Chloe closed the driver’s side door behind her. A wide grin remained plastered across her face as she pulled open the passenger’s side door. Though Max graciously declined any help, opting to hop down from the cab herself, their spirits remained sky-high.

Stepping outside, she was greeted by a chorus of birdsongs as well as scattered _chirps_ and _ribbits_. The constant flow and crash of water from the falls was a distant, but easily identifiable, addition to the valley’s morning opus. For extra immersion points, she took in the scent of pine, juniper, and morning dew. No doubt, a welcome change from the smell of smoke that permeated the truck!

 _Guess it must last a while. Haven’t seen you smoke_ in _the truck since I got back…_

By Max’s well-received request, the hipster led the way as they climbed up on the roof of the truck, eventually sitting with their legs dangling over the windshield. Max placed a hand on Chloe’s leg, tracing tiny circles on her knee through a hole in her jeans, while the punk slipped a tattooed arm around her waist.

“Welllll?” Max asked in a sing-song voice as the sun finally peeked above the eastern ridge, its bright rays bathing the valley in a golden haze.

“Well, what?” Chloe replied, carefully bumping their shoulders together.

They both paused, and an awestruck gasp escaped Max’s lips as sunlight fell upon the waterfall, creating an almost magical, glistening effect.

“Why are we here, _really_?”

“Because we’re alive, we’re back together, and we hella deserve a good time,” Chloe said matter-of-factly, leaning over and surprising Max with a quick, playful kiss before adding, “Also, this _would_ be a great place to take some photos…”

“Chloe, I… I don’t know if I can-”

“I get it,” she replied, “After what Creepy McCreeperson did, and the post-Storm whitewashing, I wouldn’t have blamed you if you never looked through a viewfinder again. But ever since you started aiming your lens at The High Seas, everyone in the band agrees: your photos are amazeballs! I’m just saying, if you wanted to _try_ taking some shots just for fun, I’d be right here with you…”

After a pause, Chloe shifted her gaze from the valley and the sunrise to Max’s eyes. In a light, encouraging tone, she continued, “Howsabout we take the camera along on our hike? Just in case?”

“Our ‘hike?’”

“The trail starts there, and it looks hella easy,” she replied, leaning against Max for balance as she pointed to the trailhead with her free hand, “Bet my boots it’ll still be morning when we get back to the truck.”

“Like… an adventure?”

“ _Exactly!”_

Stunned, Max followed Chloe’s gaze to the trail sign:

[Morpho Valley Trail]

She couldn’t think of a convincing reason _not_ to embark on this particular journey.

On the one hand, exercise was arduous, nature was unpredictable, and the Transect ordeal had dulled her interest in... well, everything except Chloe, coffee, and sleep. 

 _But she planned all this,_ for me _, and she’s so into it…_

_Maybe it’ll be like our old pirate quests?_

_I miss those days so much…_

“Oh, Chloe, the things you drag me into,” she said, feigning reluctance, “ _Fine._ I’m in. 'Splish, splash.'”

“Awesomesauce!”

Chloe whooped with joy, her voice echoing back from the valley as they climbed off the roof. After Max retrieved the camera from the front seat and Chloe grabbed the water bottles, they hit the trail.


	6. Chapter 6

**Song:** Tracy Chapman – [Change](https://youtu.be/bukXKdzyGEY)

 **Morpho** **River Valley  
** **Near Route 101, Washington, USA  
** **Sunday, October 12 th, 2014**

* * *

“It!” Chloe shouted as she tapped the freckled hipster's shoulder, sprinting away as she gave chase.

Max gasped for breath as she followed the punk up the riverbank and behind the curtain of water flowing from the rock overhang.

Earlier, after reaching the base of the waterfall, Chloe had instigated this impromptu game of “tag” by splashing Max. For half an hour, they'd pursued each other back and forth down the trails, through the trees, and along the riverside.

It was more fun than Max could remember having in over a year – but she was getting tired, and carrying William’s old camera put her at a disadvantage.

“Actually,” Chloe said, peeking out from a hiding spot within the shallow waterfall cave and breathing heavily, “I’m beat. Can… Can we… Can we chill for a while?”

“Truce?” Max shouted over the streaming and crashing water, resting her hands on her knees.

“Truce,” she replied, sitting back against the rockface and trying to light a cigarette. When the spray from the falls foiled her plans, she tucked her lighter and pack back in her pocket, instead flipping the lids open on both water bottles.

“You need… to quit… smoking,” Max said between breaths, taking a seat next to her.

“Shaddup, hippie.”

Chloe held one water bottle up, pretending to pour it onto Max’s head. Receiving a jocular, cartoonish glare in response, the punk laughed and handed her the bottle before they gulped down 32 ounces each.

Putting the bottles aside, Chloe’s left hand quickly found Max’s right, slightly sweaty palms touching as they watched the inside of the waterfall together.

After a long rest, Max used her free hand to fiddle with the camera.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout,” Chloe said, grinning from ear to ear.

 _I don’t know if I can do this… but you’re here with me and I_ want _to try._

Withdrawing her hand, Max stood and moved into position to photograph the swiftly flowing vertical stream. The moving water and relatively dim natural light inside their cave distinguished this from most of her work, and she didn’t know how it would turn out.

Quality was not her main concern, though.

The first time she raised the camera to her eye, her hands were shaking too violently to take the picture. Around her fourth attempt, Chloe wrapped her in a hug, holding a supportive hand on her shoulder throughout the process. That helped – it was not a perfect photo, but it was the first she’d taken outside of work in ages.

The blue-haired punk posed for three shots. Taking these lifted Max’s spirits, mostly because she was a natural, unique, gorgeous, and easygoing model. It also provided an excuse to gaze longingly at her best friend, mutual crush, and emerging muse.

After one joint “selfie” - _it’s not a photo-bomb if I_ wanted _you in the frame,_ _goop_ _–_ they emerged from behind the waterfall and she took a couple shots of the valley.

Satisfied, Max stored the photos in her bag and put the camera away before joining Chloe on the hike back up the trail.

“Told ya so!” Chloe said, apropos of nothing, grabbing a sturdy fallen branch and approaching Max.

“Can’t hear you,” she replied, accepting the walking stick, “Did you say-”

“I said _I told you_ we deserved a good time!”

Opening her arms wide, the punk gestured to the entire forested valley and the clear blue sky above before picking up a second branch.

“You’re really channeling Bratty, Bossy, Pre-Teen Chloe right now, aren’t you?”

“You love me and you know it,” she declared, flashing Max a winning smile.

“Yeah, I do… and I wanted to tell you something,” the clumsy photographer said, stumbling a bit as she placed the walking stick on unstable ground and nearly lost her footing.

“Yeah?” Chloe replied, catching Max’s arm and patiently helping her stabilize.

“Thank you.”

“For being surefooted _and_ sexy? You’re welcome!”

“Well, that too,” Max said with a laugh, carefully resuming their trek, “But I meant for everything you told me last night, about flickers, Joyce, Rachel, Mistaken Max, how it all felt for you. Thanks for trusting me, and for being there for me since I got back. I don’t know how I would’ve-”

“Of course, Max-a-million,” she replied, following closely behind the hiking hipster, “You deserve a good friend...er.. whatever we are. I wasn’t always a ‘good’ one, and _I_ keep wanting to tell _yo_ _u:_ My bad. I’m hella sorry.”

“Chloe, where’s _that_ coming from?” Max asked as they picked up their pace, skipping right over the question she so urgently hoped for an answer to, “What do you have to be s-”

“ _Everything,”_ Chloe replied, regretfully rattling off the first few items in her catalog of overdue apologies, “I cussed you out like five different times for moving to Seattle, when it wasn’t even your fault. And I coulda picked up the damn phone, too, you know? I pressured you to play with guns, and I was such a damn grouch this whole year when you-”

“You're… cereal…?” Max said, breathing heavily as they made their way up a steep and rocky incline, “That’s all… ancient history! Yeah, you were kind of… difficult. But you were dealing with… _so much_ shit… you didn’t deserve. Don’t tell me you… _still_ walk around… feeling bad about this?”

Chloe shrugged, stopping at a patch of level ground to remove her jacket and tie it around her waist as she replied, “Kinda, yeah. I just… Between you saving me a bajillion times, and the whole ‘flickers’ saga… I did _a lot_ of thinking.

“When mom was… was alive, I didn’t appreciate what she sacrificed for me. _You_ gave me so much, too, and even Misguided Max- I’m just saying, I won't let myself waste it. There’s timelines where I wouldn’t be here, we both know that. I’ve still got a chance to really _live_. To actually say how I’m feeling. To _let_ myself feel shit, too… and to stop being such a fucking asshole to the people I love, the people who love me…especially you.”

Between the midmorning sun’s warmth and the exertion of hiking uphill, Max was also feeling the heat, and stopped to take off her hoodie. When Chloe caught up, she surprised the punk with a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I could get used to this,” the punk said, holding the embrace with a deeply satisfied smile before they both let go and continued climbing.

“I’ve always known you’re amazing, Chloe,” the achy photographer continued, slowing down during the last stretch of the hike as she felt the climb in her knees and ankles, “But I wish you knew how much you’ve given _me_! I loved the ‘old’ you, I love the ‘new’ you… I just plain love you.

“Coming back from the Transect made me want to turn the record over, too. When you talk about plotting our ‘second chance’ journeys together, seriously, it’s music to my ears! But I just want to say, you’re _already_ good enough. Both of us are. And no matter what, I’ll be here.”

“Even if-”

“They can pull me a million universes away, send me hurtling across time and space, try to steal my body- I hope they won’t. But if they _try_. I’ll fight like hell to get back to you, you know that. I love you _that_ much, and I always will.”

“Talk about mushy,” Chloe said, linking arms with Max as they walked together through a level stretch of the trail.

When they reached the overlook, Max took two more Polaroids: one straight-on shot of the idyllic valley, and one "selfie" alongside Chloe, with the valley in the background. Afterwards, they climbed back into the truck and turned towards Route 101.

As she watched the overlook disappear from view behind them, her heart swelled with gratitude, love, and hope.

_Always remember this moment._


	7. Chapter 7

**Song:** The Blow – [Make It Up](https://youtu.be/C4rCdHb6ZZI)

 **Coda Studios  
** **Seattle, Washington, USA  
** **Sunday, October 12** th **, 2014**

* * *

As they pulled into the Coda Studios parking lot, Max’s shoulders ached from the tension she'd built up during the last leg of their drive.

Though she didn’t regret the waterfall excursion, she’d aimed to arrive at least a _little_ early. Tammi had received special permission for her and Chloe to enter the practice space this time. Max had agreed to take a few photos, and they’d hoped Chloe might gain inspiration or insight for her future design work with the band.

When they hit gridlocked traffic on their way back into the city, Max couldn’t stop checking her watch.

_Must be a convention in town… or a Thunderbirds game?_

_What if when we show up, the band’s already practicing?_

_What if they think something’s “up” between us?_

_...do we_ want _them to know?_

Climbing down from the passenger’s seat, Max paused to stretch before crossing the lot and entering the building. Chloe stayed outside several minutes longer, stretching, texting, and smoking a cigarette before making her way in.

“You made it!” Pixie exclaimed as Max entered the practice space, dropping her drumsticks and running across the room for an enthusiastic hug.

Within seconds, the diminutive hipster was semi-squished in a group hug. When the blue-haired punk sauntered in, she joined the pile-on.

“OK, OK,” Tammi said, breaking the huddle and giving Chloe a stealthy fist bump before moving towards the mic stand, “I _know_ after the last few days we want to show these two all the love. But we’ve only got the space for an hour-”

“Aye-aye, Cap’n!” Dwight, Dex, and Pixie said in unison.

Slipping his guitar strap on, Dwight added, “Y’arr, we be all-business in these waters!”

“ _Professional_ scallywags,” Dex said, taking his place behind the keyboard, “‘til the day we be swimmin’ with the fishes!”

Max laughed and prepared her camera while Chloe leaned against the back wall and exchanged another knowing glance with Tammi.

_Can’t believe how lucky we were to find these goofballs!_

_And no one’s said anything about us being late. Whew!_

The warm welcome helped calm Max’s nerves. As the band started their first set and she got a feel for the ideal angles within the space, she became even more comfortable.

She occasionally asked for Chloe’s help moving objects, raising or lowering curtains over the high windows, adjusting lights, or giving her opinion on potential shots. Every time the band played “the ghost song,” as Chloe called it, she’d drift over to wherever Max was standing until the too-close-to-home lyrics had passed. Otherwise, the punk leaned against the wall or danced along to the music.

_Definitely more like Chloe’s music than mine… but they’re growing on me!_

Late in the third set, Max packed up the camera and sat near the door. Waking up before dawn had _definitely_ been worth it, but the lack of sleep was catching up to her. Thankfully, there was only one song left.

“Last call – time to leave it all on the stage!” Tammi said, “Now, everyone good on the final verse?”

 _Wowser, I_ must _be tired… I don’t remember anything special about this song?_

Everyone in the band nodded, and a wide, joyful smile spread across Pixie’s face.

“Count us in, Pix.”

“A- One! Two! Three! Four!”

In her exhaustion, Max zoned out during the earliest parts of the song. When her focus came back, Tammi’s powerful alto voice was just starting the second verse:

“With so much there between us  
so many things unsaid  
there are words I want to say to you  
if I could only clear my head

“Can we  
forget about  
the past  
and draw a liiiiiine?

“Forever starts  
the day I make you mine!”

As Pixie began skillfully pouring her heart into the uptempo drum solo, Max was surprised to see Chloe suddenly rush towards the mic, pulling a small slip of paper from her pocket as she went.

Chloe stood side-by-side with Tammi, each of them gripping the mic stand with one hand while the blue-haired punk silently read her “note-to-self” from the Bluebird’s Pancake House receipt. The rest of the band seemed overjoyed but not at all surprised.

Together, the two vocalists sang lyrics Max had never heard before, with Chloe looking directly at her:

“Why’d it take a year of stormy seas  
to admit I hella care?  
Won’t wait for the next catastrophe  
to embrace the love we always shared

“Starting  
each new day  
with you  
will be subliiiiiime

“From our new start  
until the end of time”

Max’s jaw hit the floor and stayed there as Tammi stepped back from the mic, allowing Chloe to finish out the song with a slowed-down, passionate, and heartfelt solo:

“Max Caulfield, I  
give you my heart  
until the end of tiiiiii-”

While Chloe sustained the final note, Max ran across the room, cutting her off with a deep, passionate kiss. As they urgently locked lips, an electric thrill ran through Max’s whole body – the feeling was so explosive, she could practically see sparks!

She was ready to take on _anything_ together!

…after a little private time with her blue-haired punk rock hero, of course!

Were their friends still in the room?

Oh…

_Wait – right! They were all in on this, weren’t they?_

“Uh, surprise?” Chloe said, gasping for breath with a crooked grin on her face.

A distinct _squeeeee!_ of jubilation rose up from behind the drumset as the band began closing down and packing up.

“I think Max is the _only_ one feeling surprised in here,” Dex said with a laugh, “Dwight owes Pixie for losing that bet, though.”

“You all _knew_? How…? How long…?” Max replied, staring wide-eyed around the room before returning her gaze to the same two enticing, enduring pools of blue.

“It was a sweet gesture, Price,” Dwight said, moving towards the door, “but I think you mighta broke her. Max? Maaaax? You still with us?”

“Hold on. You bet _against_ us getting together?” Chloe said to him in a mockingly threatening tone before leaning down to give Max another kiss.

The practice room, the band, and everything that wasn’t Chloe, seemed to fade into an obscuring fog as their lips met again. One kiss became four, and just as their tongues touched-

“Ohhhkay, lovebirds,” Tammi said, turning off all but the emergency lights, “We’re happy for ya, but we’ve gotta close up.”

“S-sorry,” Max said, her cheeks suddenly on fire as she offered the band members an apologetic smile.

“This is even _more_ adorable than I’d hoped… you two are too cute!” Pixie said, running up to give Max and Chloe each a goodbye hug before skipping out the door.

The pair walked out holding hands, enjoying the incoming wave of hugs, teasing, and praise for Max’s photos. After confirming the date of the band's next show, the remaining musicians left.

Max and Chloe made their way back to their vehicle.

_I can’t believe it – you sang… to me… in front of the whole band!_

She stopped, squeezing the punk’s hand and meeting her eyes again.

“Hey,” Max said, gazing into those mesmerizing blue orbs and drifting happily through the afterglow of Chloe’s surprise serenade.

“Hey back,” the bluenette replied, lifting up and kissing Max’s hand.

“Can I ask you something?” she said as they climbed into the truck.

“Shoot,” Chloe replied, firing up the engine and turning the radio on.

“What are you thinking about right now?”

Almost immediately, she said:

“Our future.”

As they exchanged hopeful smiles, the punk began singing along to the familiar, quirky love song.

This time, Max joined her.

“...Goop!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Also, much appreciation to anyone who bookmarks, recs, leaves kudos, offers constructive criticism, or otherwise leaves a respectful comment! :-D
> 
> The lyrics that appear in the final chapter (including "forever starts the day I make you mine") are mostly copied directly from Dust, Issue #3 (credit to writer Emma Vieceli). For the purpose of this fanfic, I added the final sections of this song, from "Why'd it take a year of stormy seas..." to "...give you my heart until the end of time." I'm a big fan of the comics so far, which is why I've taken the time to write a fanfic & detailed theory about the first four issues! I added those lyrics to suit this story, with no disrespect intended to the original work.
> 
> For a very amateur voice recording of me, the author (non-binary gender; also not a vocalist), singing that same song, see link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Byoh6aEJTNjceUVsZ3B6Ny04d2NlMkdDdFhiSXJJbkVnR3VF/view?usp=sharing
> 
> Also, the pancake eatery, motel, donut shop, valley, and rehearsal studio are all fictional locations :) 
> 
> Writing Serenade has been a lovely experience! Hope you enjoyed as well - and either way - wishing each of you a wonderful day!  
> -Glitter


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